If Karma Exists
by Layla Faye Sherwood
Summary: I don't know what I did to end up this way. I mean, I know how. I know the steps I took, that eventually led me to this cellar...Maybe that's why I'm in this situation, too many good things happened at one time and the universe had to take back some of the good graces I had been in. I can't tell you how higher powers think. (ReidxOC)
1. Unprepared

"He that is jealous is not in love." - Saint Augustine

* * *

I don't know what I did to end up this way. I mean, I know how. I know the steps I took, that eventually led me to this cellar. The things I did.

I never meant for things to end this way. But I don't know what I did personally, to have had this happen.

Today _should have _been happy for me, regardless of what my job consists of. Two years being in the BAU, today was that anniversary, but it was also another anniversary… before I begin on that let me tell you a little about me.

I graduated the FBI Academy, after graduating from college with a masters degree months before. The team accepted me into their group shortly after Alex joined. At the time I thought_ that_ was the best day of my life. Maybe that's why I'm in this situation, too many good things happened at one time and the universe had to take back some of the good graces I had been in.

I can't tell you how higher powers think. But I had been getting better at my job, and I had been secretly going on dates with a teammate, then dates turned into a secret relationship for several months.

That's the extremely shortened version.

But how I became chained to a pole in a dank cellar, getting closer to my death… I think that deserves the long version. And to start this long version off, my name is Lorie Anderson and I'm twenty-seven years old.

* * *

_Three days earlier..._

I walked through the briefing rooms doors, carrying two cups of tea. Smiling at the team, I placed the other in front of Reid. He smiled broadly up at me and gladly took it in his hands, taking a drink.

"If you keep that up, you're going to spoil him. We don't need a spoiled Reid, Lorie." Morgan said laughing. I sat down and took a sip of my own drink.

"I think it's safe to say I'm already spoiled." Reid retorted, cheerfully.

I rolled my eyes at him and faced Garcia, she wore a dark blue dress that day. It was an uncommon color for her but she said it was to commemorate the Doctor Who 50th anniversary the upcoming weekend. It made sense, since she was wearing a small TARDIS hat. I personally enjoyed the outfit, though it got raised eyebrows from the rest of the team.

"There have been three murders in a small town outside of Pensacola, Florida. Three females, different hair colors, nothing is the same about the women or the way they're murdered... except one thing. They have letters carved into their chests." I had been staring at my cup for a few moments, not really paying attention. I would read the file in detail on the plane ride there, like I usually did but then she had said Pensacola and it caught my attention.

I looked as she pulled up a picture on the screen and then I felt sick. I knew the face of the woman on the screen.

I looked away from the big screen, and stared at my iPad in front of me as the pictures of the other two women scrolled across.

I knew them, I knew them all. And that was when I felt my heart sink at the same time my stomach did. I hadn't known I was talking aloud until Reid shook my elbow slightly and I stopped staring at the pictures in front of me and looked at him.

"Nikki, Cera, Elle… Garcia hadn't even said their names yet. You know these women?" He asked me, quietly. I'm sure I looked scared, like a deer in the headlights and probably three shades paler than what I normally was. Before anyone could intervene and ask something else, I stood up.

"I'd like to be excused for a minute, please." I plastered a smile on my face and exited the room, not waiting for a response and walking quickly to the restroom.

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the first person I wanted to check on.

Pacing back and forth, I waited for the phone to pick up on the other end.

"Hello?" Once I heard that question toned greeting I sighed, relieved.

"Hey mom… Hey. How are you doing? You doing okay?" I felt out of breath, like I had run a mile in record time.

"Yeah, sweetie. I'm doing fine. I've been thinking about calling you lately but I know you're so busy."

"I know, and I'm sorry about that but hey guess what? I'm coming home for a couple days. There's a case we've been called on. I'll see you soon, okay? I love you and lock your doors."

"I'll make your favorite food, aw! I'm so excited to see you. But I always lock my doors, and I love you too."

I smiled, "See you later, alligator."

"After awhile, crocodile." I hung up after our usual goodbyes that we've had since I was seven.

I wanted to tell her that she should stay home until we catch this guy but I knew it would only stress her out and make her worry.

I should have told her anyway.

I took a deep breath once more and calmed myself. I turned around to leave the restroom but looked right at JJ.

"You don't have to be on this case. Hotch said it would be fine if you stayed off this one, you know... Took some down time." She said, her arms crossed.

I shook my head.

"No, JJ. I need to be on this one. Those were my best friends from high school on those screens in there. We still kept in touch. Elle was getting married in December and I… No. I have to be on this case." I tried to smile, but it faltered. Before I could focus on crying or becoming sick, I walked past her and back into the room. Hotch was about to say something but looked at me expectantly, waiting for my answer.

"I'm staying on this case." I said shortly.

He nodded and said, "Wheels up in thirty."

Reid looked at me with a worried expression.

"I'll see you on the plane." I said with an attempt at a smile, but when it failed for the second time I grabbed my full cup of tea and chunked it in the trash can, walking out of the room to go get my bag ready.

* * *

Author's note: I do not own Criminal Minds, obviously. I do however, love the show. This may be a little OC, but just bear with me.

Reviews are appreciated!


	2. Just Angry

An hour later found me on the plane, anxious, annoying the others with my pacing and I had read through the file so many times that it was almost memorized.

"So what do we know?" Hotch asked, wanting everyone's base opinions for the profile.

"He could be using different a M.O. for each woman because he isn't used to killing. Could be testing to see what feels comfortable." Morgan said.

"Yeah, that's true. He's not a sadist, there aren't any signs of torture. Or even sexual assault, and almost always those two elements are linked." Reid said.

"Do you have any enemies from home, Lorie?" JJ asked.

I shook my head, "None that I know of. I was generally liked by everyone. If I were hated, it would have gotten back to me somehow. It's nothing but small towns outside of Pensacola. Small towns talk."

"What are the letters on the bodies, Garcia?" Hotch asked.

"E, N, and R." I said before Garcia could with my eyes closed, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"I don't understand this… I didn't have enemies that I know of. It's a pretty big coincidence that these are random women he just decided to kill. There's an obvious pattern but…"

"Lorie, we're not even sure if you're part of the equation. We just have to rule you out. You haven't been home in a few years. They could have all been involved with the same groups. Now, when we land, JJ, I want you and Garcia to set up in the office space the sheriff gave us. Blake, Rossi and I will look over the entire case with the sheriff, and Reid I want you and Lorie to go speak to the families of the three victims. Lorie knowing the women will provide some goodwill, she may even know the families well. Do you?" I nodded. Hotch continued, " Meet back in the office after you've finished."

The closer we got to our destination, the more on edge I felt.

I would stand up, walk to the front of the plane.

Sit down.

Stand back up, walk to the back of the plane.

Sit back down.

"I know you're upset and anxious Lorie, but if you keep pacing like that you'll wear a hole through the plane." Morgan said, trying to lighten the mood.

I laughed an empty laugh, but I stayed in my seat. Staring out of the window, the clouds calmed me down some.

I sighed. Looking up from the clouds, and to the team. My eyes resting on each of them as I spoke, finally landing on Reid.

"It's not that I'm nervous, or really upset anymore. I'm angry, yeah. Who wouldn't be? But it's just that… I don't know how I'm supposed to tell the families of my friends that I'm sorry, and that I'm going to catch this guy. When I don't know for a fact that we can. Sometimes they get away, and I don't know if I can allow that to happen this time… I don't think I can."

Reid stood up from his seat and put the book he was reading down.

He sat beside me and put an arm around me, kissing my hair he said, "Everything will be okay. We'll catch this guy, I promise you. Everything is going to be okay."

I closed my eyes for a second, then they popped open and I leaned away from Reid. Reid looked confused, but I heard Morgan and Rossi laughing.

"We're profilers for a reason. We've known for about a year now."

I glared at them jokingly, but I laughed all the same.

Garcia grinned at me, and I passed the grin onto Reid.

I leaned back on Reid's shoulder, and tried to take comfort in the few minutes I had before I had to face the families of my dead best friends.


	3. Frustrated Outburst

AN: If it hasn't been clear, this is a no Maeve story. I love her in the show, but I wanted to try this idea out. It was going to be in third person but it was just too much. Thanks for the review. I hope it stays interesting! :)

* * *

When we landed, the anxiety that had slacked off on the plane came back full force. I couldn't believe I was finally home for a visit and these were the circumstances.

It was almost laughable at how my luck seemed to go.

Karma, right?

Holding my bag, I walked off of the plane behind Reid. I put my sunglasses on as I stepped off of the last step, looking down, I walked forward until I heard a voice that stopped me in my tracks.

"Hi Agent Hotchner, I'm Sheriff Wright, and these are my deputies behind me, we spoke on the phone. We're real glad you could help out." His southern drawl was thick in his voice.

I was thankful that my accent never stayed once I moved away.

"Hello Sheriff, this is our Tech Analyst Penelope Garcia. And this is SSA's David Rossi, Derek Morgan, Alex Blake, Jennifer Jareau, Lo-" He had almost gotten my name out when he was cut off by the sheriff.

"Well I'll be damned," Sheriff Wright said laughing out loud. "If it isn't little RaeRae, coming back home. We sure have missed you 'round here."

"Hi, Tommy. It's Lorie now, not RaeRae. But by 'we' are you sure you don't mean _you_ miss me?" I retorted, crossing my arms.

He smirked at me.

"I guess you could say I do miss you more than others 'round here, but we all do miss you. We didn't know you went and joined the FBI on us." He said, his voice oozing sweet tones. The tones he used to use on me when we were younger, and when I was stupid.

"Yeah, well it was a strict need-to-know basis where I went and what I did with my life." I replied, with more attitude in my words than I had expected.

I was progressively starting to remember why I wanted to leave home so badly. He was a main factor. It wasn't that he stalked me or anything like that, he just never quit trying to "win" me back after I dumped him, and left.

"Well, I mean… when this whole horrible situation is done and over with do you think maybe, you'd like to get some-" He started to ask but I knew where it was going.

"Oh! Hey. Tommy, have you met my fiancé? Doctor Spencer Reid of the FBI? No? You didn't get a chance to because you, very rudely I might add, cut Agent Hotchner off mid-sentence when he was about to finish the introductions. Yes, this is him. Right beside me. Now what was it that you were about to ask me?" I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep my lips from curling up into a smile.

But what he said next caught me off guard. He gave Reid a once over, then a twice over.

"I used to push kids like you around in the locker room, didn't I, RaeRae?" He said, snorting.

And before I could stop it I snapped at him.

"I'm sure you did. And that is _precisely_ why you wasted your football scholarship away on drugs, and why you are stuck here in this small town attempting to protect the few people that live here, and you are failing at it, obviously. And him?" I said jabbing my thumb in the direction of Reid behind me. "He has_ three_ PhD's, not to mention two bachelors degrees making at least,_ at least_, four times as much as you do, if not way more. Now, I suggest if you want this case to go smoothly like it should you should A.) take us to where we need to go and B.) do not ever, _ever_ insult _anyone_ on my team again. Or else I will dig up old files that have been hidden deep in the system and make sure you cannot apply for any jobs in the state of Florida. Do you understand me?" It wasn't professional, and I was almost positive that Hotch would reprimand me for it later but with all the nerves I had at the moment, it almost felt good.

Everyone around me went silent, the looks on the members of my teams faces ranged from Hotch's attempt at anger, to Morgan's awe.

I heard a muffled laugh from the direction of one of Sheriff Wrights' deputies. Before I had a chance to explode once more I turned to Hotch and tried my best to smile at him while he glared at me, though his lips were trying to smile.

"I'll get on my job, I'll see you guys back at the station. C'mon Reid." I seized his hand in mine, and started walking towards the black SUVs waiting for us.

I heard the Tommy say somewhere behind me, "She's still that firecracker I remember."

"Yeah," Morgan said, and I thought I heard a pat on the back. "She's a firecracker only if you piss her off. I'm guessing that's why you two didn't work out."

* * *

So?! What do y'all think?

I'll love you forever if you review! I want to know your thoughts.

:)


	4. Accidental Surprises

I promise I will answer your requests... but not now. ;)

Thank you for the reviews Sue1313. I'm glad you're enjoying it the story, at least!

* * *

As soon as Reid closed his door he turned on me.

"Who was that? Why did he call you RaeRae? And why were you so angry with him? He could be the enemy we were talking about on the plane ride over here!"

I closed my eyes, started up the vehicle and took a deep breath.

"No, he couldn't be an enemy. If anything he just pisses me off more than anyone I've ever met, though he's never hated me that I know of. RaeRae is a nickname I had throughout high school. Annnd, that is an ex-boyfriend of mine that I so gladly dumped my senior year when I realized that a silver tongue and a southern drawl doesn't excuse the multitude of girls he had on the side." I opened my eyes, cutting my eyes to look over at him.

He looked genuinely confused and for Reid that was strange.

"What?" I asked him.

"Who in their right mind would ever cheat on you?" He asked, incredulous. "From what I just witnessed by that scene a few moments before, you are terrifying when you're angry!"

I stared at him for a moment and just laughed. I laughed really hard for a few minutes, until I made myself stop because I saw him get slightly flustered.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you. I'm just… Thank you."

"For?"

"For being you, and for being mine." I smiled at him, as sweet as I possibly could.

He smiled back at me, I guess he had gotten used to me being off the walls sometimes.

"You know," he started, staring out at the group walking towards the other vehicles. Garcia was talking with her hands, pointing frantically in our direction. "I didn't plan on telling the team we were engaged during a furious outburst like that or even on a case for that matter but, I suppose sooner is better than later. I'm not looking forward to being near Garcia once we're back."

He turned to look at me and my jaw dropped. I had forgotten all about my small... or rather big slip.

"Oops…" I said shrugging and then biting my lip as I put the vehicle into drive. "I'm more afraid of Garcia than this UnSub right now."

Suddenly, and all too soon, nervousness was becoming the main emotion that my body could contain, as it was rearing it's ugly head again over the thought of talking to the families.

_Thirty minutes later_

I found out quickly that I had been missed by my friends' parents.

The first two families, Mr. and Mrs. Mcabry, Cera's parents, and Mrs. Rabello, Nikki's mother, both had they same reaction. They hugged my neck, were surprised that I had joined the FBI and they cried as soon as Reid and I started the questions.

I kept my composure until we arrived on the doorstep of the first victim Elle's, fathers house. When we knocked on the door of Mr. Pacer, Elle's father answered the door after a few beats.

I tried my best at an easy smile, like I used to when I'd spend the night all the time. He, like the others, looked shocked to see me.

"Rae? Is that you? You look so grown up!" He said, pulling me into my third hug of the day. "Did your mom tell you to come down for Elle's-" He stopped his sentence abruptly.

He couldn't come to terms with Elle being gone.

I didn't want to either.

Unfortunately, I hadn't had the time to fully get sad. Like I had said, sadness wasn't my main emotion.

Nervousness to anger.

"Hi, Mr. Pacer. I'm sorry for your sudden loss. Though I've been called down here for different reasons…" I trailed off for a moment trying to figure out how exactly I should phrase the sentences to come.

Thankfully, Reid broke the silence I made.

He cleared his throat. "Uh, hm. Hello, Mr. Pacer. Ah, my name is Doctor Spencer Reid and I'm with the Behavioral Analysis Unit with the FBI... Lorie and I have come to ask you a few questions to see if anything seemed…different around her. If Elle maybe made new friends or-"

"No," He said cutting him off. But not in an ill-mannered way. "Elle was too stressed out try to make new friends. Her wedding is… was, so soon and she was finally getting all of the small touches done. You know, Rae… She didn't want me to tell you but she was going to ask you to be her maid of honor. I know you got the invitation to her wedding but when you were going to come down she was going to surprise you with it. She even got your dress and, and…" His eyes started swimming with tears.

If you've never seen a grown man cry, I don't suggest you purposely make one cry.

It was absolutely heartbreaking to see a man that I looked up to as a father break down into tears. Internally, I was stunned that he told me about the surprise.

Elle was never the type to have anything be a surprise.

I took a small step forward to place my hand on Mr. Pacer's shoulder. I looked him in the eyes.

"Please know that there wasn't anything you could have done. It wasn't yours or her fault this happened. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time and she loved you so much. It's the same as Cera and Nikki. Please, do not blame yourself. Blaming yourself won't bring her back, nor will it make your heart feel any less broken." A small smile was as much as I could muster to give him, feeling like I was on the verge of tears as well.

I pulled out a card with my number on it. "Please, if you can think of anything at all or if you just need to talk, call me. I'll answer. And I'll talk to you as long as you need." His gaze fell on the floor, his shoulders started to shake.

I realized tears were the only thing from here on out, so I tugged on Reid's sleeve and we began to walk away.

"RaeRae?" He called after me. I looked over my shoulder to see him looking at me, dejectedly and his face tear stained.

"Yes sir?" I asked, southern manners coming back by force of habit.

"How do you do it? See her dead body and act like it doesn't bother you at all?" The question caught me off guard, a lot was catching me off guard that day actually.

I thought for a moment.

"It isn't easy. It never is. But knowing that I'm going to catch the guy who did this, and make him pay for the pain he's caused, it helps. Don't worry Papa P, I promise I'll get him." His eyes looked a little less sad when I used his old nickname from my childhood.

"I know you will, sweetheart. I know you will." He said nodding at me before closing his front door behind him.

Reid looked at me, almost proud. I raised an eyebrow.

"You said on the plane that you didn't know how to tell the families you'd catch the UnSub when you didn't know if you absolutely could. I believe you did just that. You did the thing you thought you could not do."

"Thank you, Eleanor Roosevelt. But seeing a grown man I looked up to as a father figure cry like that, it made up my mind for me." I looked up at him, and he put his arm around me as we walked to the SUV, heading back to the station to meet up with the rest of the team.

None of the families had any helpful information, but they did help one thing.

They helped strengthen my resolve to make sure this guy was caught, and that I'd be the one to catch him.

* * *

Reviews would be nice. Tell me your thoughts! :)


	5. Congratulations and a Small Reunion

The day progressively became more and more difficult. The second Reid and I walked into the office, Garcia started talking incessantly.

"How could you _think _to go and get engaged without even telling us about it?! I mean, we all knew you guys were together. THAT was obvious, I mean I'm not even a profiler and I knew I mean I could just tell with the little cups of tea for each other and the fixing of his vests and stuff but this step?! And you didn't tell us _why?!_ I am beyond offended that you didn't at least give me hints, Reid! I would have thrown a party or given you a present or a hug or something! I mean, I'm a hugger. I'm a definite hugger. Why did you keep it a secret? I mean maybe you guys wanted your privacy and all but come on! We all know Hotch already gave you a strict guideline, like when he talked to you about the initial relationship. What's with the secrecy? What's with not telling Penelope Garcia about this big news?! Oh my God… You're pregnant, aren't you?! That's it! That's why you didn't tell us!" Garcia paused to take a deep breath, which Reid took advantage of and covered her mouth with his hand.

"NO, Garcia. No, no, no. No. We wanted to tell you in a nicer way, take you all out to dinner and tell you. We didn't mean for secrecy, and we both apologize if we hurt your feelings. We just couldn't let it interfere with our work, and so we continued as we always have. Like you said, guidelines are given, guidelines are followed. Lorie is definitely not pregnant!" He looked at her sheepishly, hoping she'd calm down enough.

Luckily for Reid and I, she was still trying to catch her breath.

I felt a presence behind me and I turned around to see Hotch standing some two feet away. He nodded for me to come near, and I didn't know what he would say.

"I'll be right back, you continue to try to keep Garcia calm." I whispered to him, and walked over to where Hotch was standing.

He led me into the small office we had set up earlier that day, and he closed the door behind me.

"Before you say it, I'm sorry I snapped at the sheriff. It was unprofessional, I know but I-" he held up his hand to stop my words. I immediately shut up, afraid that I was about to be removed from the case with all that has happened in the short time span.

He looked as if he were collecting his thoughts.

"First," he started off on what felt like a long speech. "did any of the families provide helpful information?" I shook my head.

He put his hand on his forehead rubbing what appeared to be a headache "Secondly, I don't think I need to remind you of the rules set for your relationship that we discussed some months ago but I will anyway. Do not forget that the second you seem to be unfocused because of your relationship, I will remove you from this team. Interpersonal relationships are not supposed to be allowed, but if we allow it for Kevin and Penelope, we can allow it for you. Though I need not remind you that you must attempt to be focused at all times. Third, I'd like to tell you congratulations on your engagement. Honestly, we've been waiting for it to happen. We all were expecting it, except for maybe Garcia of course. I do think you need to make it up to her though. She seems…" he trailed off looking out the window.

Reid was holding his hands out in a defensive position as Garcia continued to look more and more upset as she continued to worked herself up. "Upset to say the least." He said finishing his sentence.

"Uh yeah. I believe that's an understatement, but thank you sir for the congratulations. And by no means did we mean to disrupt the team or the case with my outburst. Again, I apologize." I said, letting how grateful I was shine through in my words.

"Don't apologize for what you said to Sheriff Wright. I'm not saying that he deserved it, but he deserved it."

I laughed for the first time in what felt like hours, and I walked towards the door. "Hotch, I'm sorry but if you'll excuse me I think I need to save Reid from Garcia's wrath."

I had my hand on the doorknob when Hotch spoke up once more.

"One more thing, Anderson. Just as a precaution, I want you to get in touch with all of your close friends you have around here. Tell them to take extra steps when keeping themselves safe. We're not sure it's a pattern connecting to you, and we can't afford to have a police officer stationed at every one of your friends' houses but just to be safe. When Garcia gets done being upset, she's going to get to work and we'll need you ready." I nodded to him and stepped out of the room.

Heading toward the scene in the middle of the room I smiled inwardly. Garcia's raging tantrum was like a category three hurricane. Bravely, I stepped in between her and Reid.

"Penelope."

"What, Lorie?" She almost spat out at me.

Taken aback by the attitude, I put my hands on both of her shoulders looking her directly in her eyes. "You know I love you so very much, right? And that you're easily in my top five favorite people in the world?" Her body language instantly changed.

"Aww, no I didn't know that, awww that makes me so happy! I knew I was awesome but I didn't realize how that I was that awesome!" She said, her anger dissipating quickly and he smile returning.

"I'm very sorry we kept this from you, but would you do me the honor of being a bridesmaid at my wedding? It won't be for another year or so but..."

"OF COURSE!" She said, practically squealing. By now, her anger was completely gone.

"Good, good. Now that you agreed, I think you need to get on some work that Hotch asked you to do. Before he gets really upset with me." A reminder buzzed in her head as she remembered what Hotch had asked her to do fifteen minutes before, and she didn't even say a word as she rushed off to her computer.

In mere seconds the room was filled with clicks after clicks of her fingers on the keyboard.

Behind me I heard a very loud, very dramatic sigh. I turned to see Reid looking exhausted and exasperated.

"That woman stresses me out." He ran his fingers through his hair.

"You and me both, kid." Morgan said behind Reid, followed in by JJ, Blake and Rossi.

Morgan playfully punched Reid in the arm and they all told us congratulations. Reid and I accepted them graciously, and while JJ hugged Reid like a proud older sister would, I walked away from the group to make the phone calls I was told to.

I had the numbers pulled up from memory, ready to go down the list of friends I had and call when Hotch called us in to give a preliminary profile.

Stuffing my phone in my pocket, I walked to the front of the room to stand next to the rest of the team. As I stood in front of one of the boards, I crossed my arms over my chest and I spoke up first.

"What we're looking for is a rapidly devolving Caucasian male, somewhere between his late twenties to possible early thirties. He is someone you probably know, and probably know well. Even I probably know him too. Do not underestimate him though, just because he is devolving fast does not mean he isn't meticulous. So far he has not made any mistakes to get caught."

"He doesn't stick out in a crowd, and he fits in pretty much anywhere you look. He seems like he makes friends easily, but its actually pretty hard for him." Morgan said.

Hotch cut in next saying, "These women probably did some damage to his ego at one point in his life, and he let that anger fester for longer than it should have. Something made him snap and realize that for him to get back some control, he had to take out the ones blocking that for him. Guys like this usually go out by taking their own life."

"We also know that this is his comfort zone, and he works where he has access to or owns a vehicle big enough to dump the bodies at separate sites, these parks." Reid said pointing to a map of the area and the triangle he drew.

I turned to look at the board, but instead of focusing on the mapped area I looked at all of the pictures. We didn't have a lot of clues so far, and it stressed me out. I didn't like being two steps behind this guy, and it gave me chills knowing that in the end, I would know who it was. The letters carved into the women's chest were given postmortem. I was thankful for that, less pain for them to feel.

"What's with the letters and the different ways of killing them?" One in the crowd asked.

The letters were big puzzles to us. Elle has the E, and since she was the first victim we thought maybe it was a way of reinforcing that he had control over her by using her name against, and it a good theory because of the next letter on Nikki, the letter N.

But then the last victim, Cera, had the R, and our theory fell through.

"We're not quite sure, we know that the letters mean something to him, and he wants us to find out what. As for the different ways of killing, we've deduced that he did not have murder tendencies, and only recently did he find that killing was a way of taking back control." We watched as the officers took notes and nodded after what we said, then Hotch dismissed them.

I walked over to the nearest desk facing the board and sat down. I continued staring at the pictures, then I noticed that Reid began to take a step towards me but stopped as he watched someone walk up behind me. I half expected it to be Tommy.

"Hey RaeRae." The voice was familiar, but it wasn't Tommy.

I spun the chair around to face the owner of the voice I knew so well.

Smiling I said, "Hey Logan. How have you been?" He half-smiled and looked down. He looked like the parents I visited today.

Dejected, crestfallen. The epitome of sadness.

"Tommy just let me in to come say hi real quick. But I've been better, y'know. What with all the… they're all dead RaeRae. I can't believe they're gone, I mean I just talked to Nikki last week at the grocery store and now, and now…" I stood up, and I hugged him. He had always been my closest friend. Our mothers were really close friends, and we were born at the same time. We always said that we were meant to be friends forever, but once I left for college he never tried to keep in touch. I assumed it was because I left him behind.

"I know, Logan." I said to him, squeezing him tighter. "It's hard on all of us, but I promise I'll catch him and we'll get justice for this. It's the best way for closure." He hugged me back, then pulled away.

"As long as you promise, I'll feel better. But I have to go. I just wanted to stop by and see you, your mom said you were in town."

He turned to leave and walk away when Garcia yelled out across the room, "Guys, I think I have something!"

Logan looked at me with a hopeful look.

"Looks like we might be doing just that." I said.

He nodded and walked away, shuffling his feet as he went.

After he exited the door, I walked into the room behind the others.

Leaning down near Garcia, Morgan asked "Whatcha got, baby girl?"

"Well, I cross referenced each of the victims to see how their lives normally played out. Their credit card swipes, their phone calls, things like that. Well in small towns like these, their paths are going to cross a few times. Theirs did quite a bit. They shopped at the same grocery stores, used the same banks but nothing suspicious came up with those. Then I looked closer at recent things paid for like their cable bill. Turns out, they all have the same cable provider. But that's not what's weird. In the past three weeks, they've had calls made to come fix the TV's satellite receptor. And guess what? They were all visited by the same man. Scott Gentry, 29, drives a white pickup and he lives within the comfort zone."

Hotch walked out the door first heading to the SUV out front. "Perfect, Garcia. Send us the address on the way. Let's go."

* * *

I'm glad you're all enjoying it so far! I'm enjoying writing.

Review! Tell me what you think. (:


	6. Friendly Advice

Suited up with our bullet proof vests, and our guns steady we waited for Hotch to give the order.

"Scott Gentry, open up! It's the FBI!" Hotch yelled. When an answer didn't come, he nodded at Morgan.

Morgan kicked down the door and quickly walked in.

Each of us taking a room, we searched for Scott.

In the other rooms I heard choruses of "Clear!" I walked down the hallway to a door that was halfway close.

The rug before the door was bunched up, as if someone had slipped while running into the room. Slowly, with my gun pointed forward, I tiptoed into the room. Seeing no one on either side, I lowered my gun slightly.

The closet door was open, but the bathroom door wasn't. Walking forward, I turned the doorknob.

I don't know why I suddenly felt so scared, but I was terrified and adrenaline was pumping. I swung the door open fast, and trained my gun on the back of someone looking at himself in the mirror. He had a bottle of pills in his hand, and he tapped some into the palm of his hand.

"Scott, put those down. They wont kill you fast enough, and we'll just take you to the hospital." I told him, my gun never leaving the aim I had on his chest.

He slowly turned around to face me and Scott lifted his hand to his mouth. All in one swift movement, I lowered my gun to reach out and smacked his hands.

The pills flew out of both his open palm and the open bottle. I grabbed one hand and quickly cuffed him.

He didn't resist at all.

"You're not going to get away with what you did to those women, Scott! And suicide will not help your soul." Morgan, Rossi, Reid and a couple officers ran into the room when they heard me yell.

"You best believe I killed them, yeah I did it." He told me with a steady voice, and a smirk as I handed him off to the officers. They escorted him outside and told him his rights.

"Do you feel better now that you caught him?" Reid asked, rubbing my back and looking at the pills strewn across the floor.

"I don't know…" I murmured, my arms crossed over my chest. "Something feels wrong."

What felt wrong the most was that I didn't know him. I didn't recognize his face.

I was right about it feeling wrong because four hours later found us getting no where with the he had admitted to me in the bathroom, he refused to accept it in the interrogation room.

Garcia was out of leads for once and even though it was only about 9, it felt like it was 1 o'clock. I sat on the small couch with my head in my hands.

Rubbing my temples I groaned. The usual cases never had emotional attachments to me, it never affected me this way. Sometimes I'd get slightly more involved, but I had never been that close to tears in a really long time.

This case was wearing me down. I felt a weight sink down beside me.

"Maybe you should go to the hotel, and get some sleep. It's been a long day and you're not gonna get anywhere with him tonight. We can hold him for 20 more hours." I peeked between my fingers over at Tommy.

He wasn't looking at me, but at the boards across the room.

He paused a moment, "This whole case is just making me realize a lot. I'm sorry for earlier RaeRae. I was shocked that you'd gone and got engaged. I kinda always thought you'd come back home and I could show you that I wasn't the same anymore. But I didn't mean to offend him, or you."

I lifted my head and looked in the same direction he was.

Reid had walked across to the boards to look something over, and I felt my lips turn up some.

"He makes me really happy, Tommy. Even if you would have shown me that you'd changed, I wouldn't have given it a thought. I realized that there was something more for me out there the day I left. Then my path crossed with his, and he proved that there were good guys from the start. He makes me a better person."

Reid turned and looked at me, feeling that eyes were on him. He mouthed a 'you okay?' and when I nodded he flashed me a goofy grin, and walked back into the room with Garcia.

"You look real happy too. I can see it. You love him a lot. That's good." He said, sighing.

"I do, but I've never told him that I do. He's never needed it, because he just knows." I leaned back into the couch, crossing my legs.

"You should probably tell him anyway, guys need to know for sure. He might be smart, and he might have taken a leap of faith in asking you to marry him, but he can't read minds. You gotta tell him while you have him 'cause you might not get tomorrow, our friends didn't."

I took a deep breath. "I've been friends them for so long, y'know. Cera and I have been friends since kindergarten, we used to play on the swing set during recess. And in the sixth grade I met Elle because we both played softball. I have pictures on my wall in my apartment of her and I during tournaments. And Nikki… she proved that I could have better things for myself because of her fancy-"

"Car, and I remember her daddy drove a really nice motorcycle." He said, remembering Nikki's first day of high school. She was sixteen and had this really bright red hair, that only she could pull off. She made quite the impression on our student body, but of course Tommy would remember her car.

"It's hard to wrap my head around that they're gone. It hasn't set in." My head fell in my hand once more, shaking my head in my palm.

"I think you're right. I do need sleep."

I clapped my hands on my thighs, lifting myself off of the couch. Tommy stayed seated.

"Goodnight, Rae- I mean, Lorie."

"Night Tommy." I walked off into the room where a few of the others were working; I grabbed my bag from beside the fake leafy plant in the room.

Reid was bent over a map. I gazed at the map for a moment then pointed to a spot right outside of his triangle.

"I lived there when I was in school." He looked up at me, his eyes tired.

"I remember, you told me." I ran my fingers through his hair, and he closed his eyes.

"I'm going back to the hotel to try to get some sleep, you going to stay here?"

He glanced down at the map, and back up at me.

"No, I think I'll drive you there. You might wreck if you try to drive."

I huffed. "I was trying to be nice, and you offend me."

"I might be joking." He winked.

We walked out of the door, Reid walked over to Hotch to tell him he was taking me to the hotel for the night, and we headed to the hotel. We were getting out of the SUV and walking to the entrance hall when Reid started talking to me.

"You doing okay?" He asked, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. I had stayed quiet throughout the drive there.

"I'm as okay as I can be all things considered. It's still setting in and things like that. I think their faces are going to be etched into my brain until I die." I pressed the button on the elevator for the fifth floor.

"I know how you feel, it's hard to accept. When I thought Prentiss had died, it took weeks before I stopped being upset. I finally accepted it after awhile. So I know how you feel." The elevator doors opened, and for some reason I became really angry.

I can't tell you why. When I think about it now, it was stupid to even be upset.

"Don't pretend like you know how it feels, Reid." I turned to face him.

Taken aback, his eyebrows raised, he said, "I do know, Lorie… I felt the same thing you're feeling now."

"NO, you don't. You got Prentiss back, Reid! You hurt for awhile but you never saw her dead body. You never saw that look on her face after you thought she had died. If you would have requested to see her, you wouldn't have hurt at all! You. Don't. Know. How. I. Feel. My friends aren't faking their deaths for their safety. Their safety was taken from them!"

Reid reached out to hug me, but I turned my shoulder.

"I'm sorry Lorie, I didn't mean to upset you." He whispered, an earnest look on his face.

I should have accepted his apology, and apologized then.

But I had to be angry at someone, and he was the only one that would forgive me for unprecedented anger later on.

"Just leave me alone, Spencer." I inserted the card into the door, walked in and shut it behind me without turning to see his face.

I didn't even bother walking to take a shower to try to relax. I put my bag down by the door and flopped on the bed.

Closing my eyes, I attempted to catch sleep, but it flew past me and I tossed and turned all night.


	7. Speeding

Six a.m. did not come fast enough. I slept for about an hour combined, and I couldn't lay in bed for hours or any length of time until we had to be up and be at the station by eight.

I felt guilty for getting angry with Spencer when he did nothing wrong, I was angry about the suspect and the entire case as a whole. I just could not sleep, no matter how hard I tried.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, and walked to the shower groggily. Faster than I wanted to I was out and ready to go in twenty minutes.

I decided that I didn't nor couldn't wait anymore, and I grabbed a set of keys for a car out front from my bag. A forty-five minute drive later, I was rereading over the case we had so far in small chair outside of the interrogation room, and something clicked in my head.

I realized why it felt so off.

Most of the officers wouldn't be there until eight but several of the ones on this case had came in early like I did, Tommy being one of them. I looked through the double sided glass.

Scott Gentry had his head down on the table, if he was feigning sleep or actually snoozing I couldn't tell.

"Looks like you didn't get any sleep at all." Tommy's southern drawl spoke from behind me.

"Nope, none whatsoever." I replied, I paused a second then asked a question about something I had wanted to do since yesterday.

"Hey Tommy, can I talk to the suspect?"

He shrugged, "Knock yourself out." I grabbed the keys to the room that hung on the rack next to the wall and let myself in.

"Wake up, Scott." I sat down in the chair across from him and leaned back, tossing the file onto the table.

He groaned and lifted his head up an inch or two, glanced up at me then sat up completely.

"What do you want?" He grumbled, rubbing his face to wake himself up.

"I want the truth." I crossed my arms.

"I told you, I didn't kill those girls."

"That's not what you told me directly."

"I lied."

"I know you did." He looked up from the floor he had been having an intense stare down with to stare at me, seeming genuinely surprised.

I picked up the file, pulled out the more gruesome photos and placed them directly in front of him.

His face had the same expression as it did the other times Morgan had showed him the pictures.

Disgust, revulsion, aversion.

He couldn't bring himself to look at the pictures for more than three seconds.

"If you had, you'd be proud of your work. You'd attempt to hide a smirk of satisfaction, but fail. You're not doing that. You're repulsed by these pictures. So why did you tell me you did it, when you don't have the guts to kill a fly?"

He sighed, his body changing from rigid to limp.

"I can't afford my home," He began. "I was about to be laid off from my job, and I had decided to…to kill myself. But then you walked in, and you had said something about murdering women and I thought prison was easier than death, I mean I would get three meals a day and a place to sleep… I just didn't want to-"

"So you said you killed three women? For that? How-" Someone knocked at the door, and opened it slightly.

"Agent Anderson?" An officer hesitantly asked.

"What?" I snapped, looking at the officer over my shoulder.

"Y-you have a phone call on line one. They say it's important, and that they'll only speak to you." I ground my teeth, walking briskly out of the interrogation room and to the nearest phone.

I snatched the receiver off of the base, putting it to my ear I heard a static sound on the other end.

"This is Agent Anderson, may I ask who is speaking?"

The voice that replied was slightly distorted. "Hellllo, RaeRae- I mean,_ Ms. Agent Lorie Anderson_. I keep forgetting that you like to be called Lorie now."

"Who is this?" I asked, lowering my voice, turning to face the wall.

"I can't tell you that, although I'd like to let you know that- in case you haven't realized for yourself… You have the wrong guy. But, I left a present for you at the park two miles down the road from the station. It's a present for trying. I'm sure you'll be happy to see the present. Sort of. Maybe that's just me." He laughed, and even though his voice was distorted he spoke in a condescending manner.

I felt my face go white.

"Goodbye, Lorie. I'll be seeing you." Before I could say anything else the connection was lost and silence was all I could hear.

Someone familiar was saying something to me, but I couldn't see straight nor could I hear what he was saying.

The sound of my quickly beating heart was pounding in my ears. I let the phone slip through my fingers, and I darted forward.

Grabbing the set of keys off of Tommy's desk, I ran out of the entryway doors, and jumped into the Sheriff's cruiser.

Jamming the keys into the ignition, I threw it into drive and slammed my foot on the gas.

Flipping the sirens on, I raced towards the only park within a two mile radius of the station.

The only thought racing through my mind was, _who?_

Who would I find there?

* * *

Lorie can't catch a break, can she?

Just a warning, the rating may change sometime in the next few chapters. I'll let you know.

Review and tell me what you think!


	8. Breaking Down

AN: I had to write this chapter in third person, I hope it doesn't throw you off too much. Some chapters later will also be in third person for the sake of getting more out of the characters. But anyway, here you go. Enjoy!

* * *

Reid knocked on Lorie's hotel room door that morning when the team was about to leave, when no reply came he hopped in the SUV alongside Garcia, Morgan and Hotch.

"She left already." He told the others shutting the door behind him.

The drive to the station was filled with pointless chatter, nothing grim at all. They'd save that for the case they were about to try to crack soon. Pulling up to the curb at their destination, Reid stepped out; he hadn't quite closed the door when he heard yelling.

Looking towards the noise, he saw Lorie racing to the sheriff's cruiser.

"Lorie, where are you going?!" Either Lorie didn't hear Sheriff Wright shouting or she chose to ignore it.

Reid noticed she looked pale and afraid, but oddly determined.

"Hotch…" Reid didn't have to say more.

"Let's go." Hotch ordered, not bothering to ask Sheriff Wright what had happened first because when an agent of his looked and acted like that, he knew there was a reason.

Especially for Lorie to act like that. Hearing tires squeal, Hotch closely trailed Lorie.

Reid had to assume she was doing well over the speed limit, running stop signs the way she did. She turned onto a road, not even trying to slow down.

She pulled into a child's playground, skidding to a halt. She slung gravel and dirt in her abrupt stop before he watched her jump out of the car and run towards the swings.

Hotch slammed on the brakes, and Reid threw the door open running after Lorie. Morgan and Hotch kept their guns out training them in opposite directions of the park, jogging behind Reid in case someone unknown were to make a move towards them.

The park seemed void of all people, eerily quiet. Even the birds seemed to know something wasn't right.

Seeing what she was running for, Reid ran faster. Two bodies lay underneath the swing sets, sprawled in awkward positions facing each other.

Reid's two thoughts were tied between _oh no, not again_ and _I didn't know Lorie could run this fast_. Before Lorie could actually step onto the playground pad, Reid grabbed her around the waist and turned her around to face the way she had come from.

Garcia's mouth was open in shock and Hotch had ran back to call for emergency vehicles to respond immediately.

"Let me go! Let go of me!" She shouted at him, punching his arms that held her tightly.

"Lorie, are you crazy?! This could have been a trap. Did you not think about that?" He told her, wincing at the assault. She had put some force behind the punches.

"I don't care! I have to know! I have to find out who it is, I have to… I have to…" She yelled, and by the time she finished her sentence she was crying. She turned her head into Reid's chest and collapsed. He held her while he slowly lowered themselves to the ground. He rocked her back and forth while she cried.

"You don't need to see anymore deaths for right now, Lorie." He whispered to her.

"I can't handle this anymore Reid, I won't have anyone left by the time this case is over." She said in between sobs.

"Lorie, you'll always have me. You'll never be alone as long as I'm around." He whispered into her hair.

"What if you're next?" She cried, clenching his shirt in her fists.

He didn't have an answer so he continued to hold her because even though he was a genius, he couldn't think of any words in the entire dictionary to string together to make her feel okay in that moment. So he held her tightly and patted her hair.

He did so until she stopped crying and just leaned into his chest. More officers came and inspected the bodies, took down notes and the forensics team did what they could. Rossi, Blake and JJ showed up to see if they could get anymore clues about the UnSub by how he positioned the bodies, how they were murdered. Finally, the coroner zipped the bodies into bags and took them away. Reid thought she might have been asleep, that she might have exhausted all the emotions bottling up but she coughed once then slowly hugged him tightly before standing up. Reid stood up and followed her lead, she walked towards Hotch.

"Did the victims have any form of identification on them?" Hotch shook his head.

"Garcia will run what we have to get a match."

"If I could see their faces, I could tell you." Lorie said, her demeanor hardening.

"I don't think that's a good-" Reid began his sentence.

"What good am I to this team if I can't handle this case? If I can't do my job, then why am I here?" She said through gritted teeth. Reid thought to say something about how her health, mental, emotional and physical, was more important but decided against it and kept quiet.

"Forensics took photos, if you think you can handle seeing them then they'll be at the station."

"I hijacked the cruiser, so I'll… Reid do you mind driving?"

"No, I don't."

"We'll be behind you shortly." Hotch said, walking away to discuss things with the others.

"Do we know how or why she found out about the bodies first?" He asked Rossi.

"The sheriff says an officer told her she had an urgent call on line one while she was talking to the suspect in custody, she took it then bolted out the door." Hotch said nothing, looking out across the playground.

"What did we get from the bodies?"

"He positioned them facing each other, and one hand pointing to the other victim. Maybe he's telling us that it's the others' fault that they're dead?" She said, in a slightly questioning tone.

"That's a good observation JJ, worth putting in the profile." Hotch started walking back towards the black vehicles.

"Lorie going to identify the new victims?" Morgan questioned. Hotch let out a huff of air.

"Yeah, but this case is getting to her. If it keeps building like this, I might have to remove her from it. When I lost Haley, and almost lost Jack too I completely snapped. She's had decent control until now. It's not long before she really explodes."

"She's going to explode if you do remove her from the case." Morgan added.

"I know, and I'm debating which move is smarter." Hotch got in the drivers seat and started the engine.

* * *

Lorie is on a roller coaster of emotions, the poor girl.

Review!


	9. Dissolving

Only a few more chapters left, I think.

Can't wait!

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I slowly walked into the office, dreading the faces I'd see on the board. Taking a deep breath I closed the distance between the boards and I, focusing on the two new pictures that had been tacked up there. The two new victims had A's deeply carved on their chests, but it didn't hide their faces.

"Do you know who they are?" Reid whispered beside me. I nodded.

"The one on the left is Courtney Coxxin, the one on the right is Anna Lawrence. Both were my friends… Reid, the UnSub called me. He told me these two were a present for trying but getting the wrong suspect." Reid pressed his lips together, rubbing my arm.

"This isn't your fault, Lorie. Don't start to think that it is because then it starts to get into your head more and more. Believe me, I know." He sighed then turned to go tell Hotch about the identification as they had just walked in moments before I identified the women.

I stared at the board, fingers at my mouth. I wasn't really focusing on the pictures anymore, the people, my friends were all blurs. The letters flooded together, swimming in my eyesight. I was lost in my thoughts, thinking about all of the families that were losing loved ones.

My friends were my loved ones too, and it was piling up on top of me. I was feeling incredibly guilty, I now knew for a fact that they were dead because of me. I had a call telling me directly that the bodies were for me.

A _present, _even. It was my fault from the beginning, but what had I done to cause this? The victims were at a staggering five, and we usually had cracked the case before this had happened. Small towns don't take to murders well, especially well-loved people.

"Baby?" Reid's voice brought me out of my thoughts. He rarely called me baby, it just never suited him to do so but something in his voice sounded strange. Like he was afraid of what he was about to say next.

I turned to face him, feeling really tired all of a sudden. I was angry earlier, I wanted to catch this guy and I wanted more than anything to kill him myself.

"Hotch has given the order that you be removed from this case. It's only temporary until you get your head on straight, and if we catch him soon then you can be there for the arrest." He spoke with a calm manner, hoping it would make my anger ease up.

But the thing is, the anger I felt at the park… and the anger that was pushing me forward had left all in one big swoosh. I had became so angry so fast, but I wasn't angry anymore. I was just tired. Meeting Reid's eyes, I gave him a small smile.

"That's okay," I said quietly. "I honestly need a forced break. I'm not going to be much help, I know. So I'm not angry." He looked slightly shocked, and when I moved to walk past him he grabbed my hand.

"I'll drive you to the hotel." He offered. I shook my head.

"No thanks, I think I'm going to go visit my mom. She said to come by sometime, and now is as good as any. I'll be there if you need me." I walked towards the door with my head don but a bright pink dress stepped in front of my path.

"You know I love you, right?" Garcia whispered to me.

I nodded, looking up. "And I love you too."

"Reid is right, it isn't your fault. This will get better once we catch him." She really cared about how I was feeling and it made me feel a little better. She tried so hard.

"I believe you." Walking out of the doors, I made my way to my vehicle instead of stealing Tommy's this time. A noise came from my back pocket and I pulled out my phone. Glancing at the screen I slid the button to answer the call.

"Hey mom, I was just coming to see you. I hope you're not busy." I said, climbing into my SUV.

"No, no I don't think she's busy at the moment at all. Come on over for a visit, sweetheart. She'll be here." A male voice responded. I paused.

"Don't go asking for help now like a coward, I'll only kill her and you'll have one less person in this world. If you come now, and pretend like everything is fine in front of others, she will survive. Maybe."

"Who is this?" I whispered into the phone, my grip on the steering wheel tightening.

"You'll see." Was the reply, then… silence. I took a deep breath.

"I'm a damn idiot." I whispered to myself before driving away from the station, faking calmness.

* * *

_Minutes later…_

Parking on the lot near my mothers house, I stepped out and pulled my gun from its' holster. I climbed the steps and pushed open the front door that was already partially cracked.

Deciding against calling out to anyone in the house and putting one foot in front of the other like I could barely remember how, I entered. Checking the hallway, and the adjacent room I continued into the house that I grew up in. The hallway ran straight into the living room, and once I had rounded the corner that was when I saw my mom. She was bound to the chair by her wrists and ankles, and a cloth around her mouth to keep her from yelling out for me.

"Mom!" I ran over to her, dropping my gun and I tried to pull the cloths that was tying her to the chair, but when the rope came undone, there were zip ties underneath. She gazed at me sadly.

"Sneaky bastard." I cursed. My mom started making noises and moving frantically, I glanced up to look at her face and she had tears in her eyes as she looked somewhere behind me. Warning and fear flashed behind the tears.

"Thanks for the compliment, babe." Said a mans' familiar voice. I tried to turn around but that's when I felt a hard hit on my head. My moms face swam in and out of my vision slowly and then everything went dark.


	10. Late Genius

This chapter is short, but it's leading up to the next few chapters which will be longer, I promise!

* * *

Reid watched Lorie leave for her mothers house and he watched her answer a phone call, feeling guilty that she had been removed from the case. He had asked Hotch if he could break the news to her, he was worried she would snap at him but her body language changed drastically. She was rigid while looking at the pictures at first, but then her shoulders visibly slacked. Reid turned to look at the board and began to tap his fingers on his chin. Tommy walked up behind him staring at the board, too.

"What do we have here, what is it that's here that we're missing… what is it…" Reid muttered to himself staring at the pictures.

He couldn't figure out what the letters had to do with anything. But if Reid knew anything about his job, he knew that there was a reason for everything the UnSub did.

"We're looking at people that have had contact with Lorie at any point in her lifetime." Reid mumbled, then stopped tapping his chin and swiveled on the spot to face Tommy.

"Do you know how or when Lorie met these women?" Reid asked Tommy with urgency, he had had a sudden epiphany about the letters, he just had to make sure it was correct. Tommy looked at him with a wary expression on his face, he wasn't used to an intense Doctor Reid.

"Well… Lorie told me not too long ago that she was friends with Elle after they played softball together when they were in the sixth grade."

"That would make Lorie twelve years old, around 1998..." Reid thought aloud. He snatched up a marker and scribbled under the picture of Elle the date '1998'.

"Nikki, the second victim, uh Lorie met her when she was sixteen. She had a real nice car, even I remember that day." Reid found the picture of Nikki sitting next to Elle's and wrote underneath is '2002'.

"Continue." Reid encouraged.

"Lorie told me that her and Cera have been friends since kindergarten. And I remember the day she met Courtney, I was picking on her for wearing glasses in the fifth grade and Lorie got really mad at me and pushed me away. She yelled at me for being a bully." Doing the math quickly in his head, Reid wrote '1991' under Cera's photo and '1996' underneath Courtney's.

"What about Anna?" Reid prompted.

"Oh, Anna… she had it really rough growing up. Bad home life and such. Lorie and her won a science fair in the ninth grade. They got in the newspaper and Lorie helped her out a lot. Was her first real friend, y'know in the end it was Anna that made her wanna be in the FBI and do this behavioral analysis stuff." Tommy finished, waving his hand slightly. Reid roughly wrote '2001' under Anna's like he did the others.

He stepped back a moment, glancing at the numbers and murmured, "Now if we rearrange these letters around and put them in chronological order we get..."

"RAEAN? What does that mean?" Morgan asked, walking up at that moment while eyeing the letters put in a strange order.

"It's not RAEAN. It's a message, and it's missing one letter." Reid said, seeming far off thinking.

"We called Lorie 'RaeRae' because she went by her middle name in high school which is-" Tommy offered, but he didn't get to finish his sentence.

Reid suddenly turned on the spot, he looked at Morgan with wide eyes. "Raegan, Morgan! Lorie's middle name is Raegan. Why didn't I figure this out earlier? Where is Lorie, no Lorie said she was going to her mothers. Garcia! Hotch!" Reid talked on as he walked out to where Hotch was standing in Garcia's small station. Garcia tilted her head up to look at Reid, then seeing his expression she put her fingers over the keyboard and awaited his request.

"Garcia, who is the last number to call Lorie?"

She typed away and seconds later, "Melinda Anderson called her just a few minutes ago."

"Her mom called her… Her… No that's too convenient. It's a trap, Hotch."

"What is, Reid?"

"Call Lorie now, this whole case has been centered around her from the start and she is in danger. We need her back here now!" Hotch nodded swiftly and put his phone to his ear. It rang three times and then it picked up.

Lorie did not answer though. Instead a male voice answered and said, "Hello, there. And which agent am I speaking to this time?"

* * *

I'd like to thank a friend of mine who helped me figure out most of these details. Her name is Nicki and she has some great stories up too, you should check her out! Her author name is Riggs01.

Review and tell me what you think! It's going to get exciting from here. (:


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